Early Childhood Assistant Center Director
Bright Horizons Family Solutions
San Mateo, CA · Posted October 7, 2026
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How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare is little observed so far. Measured exposure for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare: 4% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Bright Horizons Family Solutions has filed one layoff notice in the last twelve months, most recently January 2026. These are public filings with state labor departments, and an open role can sit alongside them. See the filings
About the job
Step into a leadership opportunity with Bright Horizons as a Child Care Assistant Director , where your work supports a strong, welcoming, and well-run early childhood center. Partnering closely with the Center Director, you’ll help guide daily operations while maintaining our high standards for care, learning, and safety. From supporting educational programming and mentoring teachers to building meaningful relationships with families, your leadership will play an important role in shaping a center where children and teams can thrive.
Responsibilities:
Uphold our mission, culture, and values to ensure an inclusive environment and strong relationships with families, staff, and clients
Monitor program quality, ensuring children’s learning is documented and visible
Ensure compliance with licensing and accreditation standards, health and safety protocols, and company policies
Qualifications:
Candidates must pass required state and company background checks, and meet state and company minimum education and experience requirements:
Associate or higher degree in early childhood education, education, or child development related field is required; bachelor’s degree is preferred
12 ECE units completed required: Child Development, Child Family Community and 2 curriculum courses. If applying for an Infant or Toddler position the Infant/Toddler class is required as one of the curriculum courses. *Transcripts will be required at time of hire.*
At least two years of leadership experience in high-quality child care, daycare, or preschool settings is required
Strong understanding of center quality, compliance, health, safety and licensing standards is required
Bring your leadership skills and passion for early childhood education to Bright Horizons, and be part of a community where people grow, futures are shaped, and lives are changed. We offer the rewards, opportunities, and support you deserve because making a difference goes both ways. We’re changing the world of work and family, and it starts with you. At Bright Horizons, you’re the difference .
Physical Requirements:
This leadership role requires work in person in an early education/preschool child care center to provide center supervision, curriculum delivery, business management, and customer and client services per Bright Horizons’ policies, procedures and guidance, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations, and in a manner that will ensure safety of children in Bright Horizons care and the employee.
This role has a mixture of duties including office/computer/phone-based work, in-person supervision of care delivery and employees throughout all areas of the center, family/prospective family interactions which may take place in various areas of the center, and the ability to temporarily serve as a supervising caregiver for relatively brief periods of time on an as-needed basis (e.g., covering employee breaks or unscheduled absences).
The full set of physical requirements for this role can be reviewed at https://careers.brighthorizons.com/job-descriptions . Bright Horizons complies with all laws that require reasonable accommodation for qualifying disabilities and/or pregnancy-related limitations.
This position requires in-person work in the area San Mateo, California .
Compensation:
The annual salary for this position is between $74,000 - $92,500 . The pay range listed here is what Bright Horizons in good faith anticipates offering for this job opening. Actual compensation offers within this range will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education and training, certifications, geography, and other relevant business or organizational factors.
Benefits:
Bright Horizons offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Paid vacation, sick, holiday, and parental bonding leave
401(k) retirement plan
Long-term and short-term disability insurance
Life insurance
Money-saving discounts and financial planning tools
Career development opportunities and free college degrees through our Horizons CDA & Degree Program
Caregiving support and resources for the children and adults in your family
Learn more at https://careers.brighthorizons.com/us/en/health-and-wellness
Compensation: $74,000 - $92,500 / yr
Life at Bright Horizons:
At Bright Horizons, you’re more than your job title — you’re the difference . Whether you’re nurturing a child’s first steps or supporting the systems behind the scenes, your work creates real impact. We’re a community that celebrates individuality, invests in your growth, and supports your whole self. Because when you thrive, so do the children, families, and clients we serve. Join us and help build a brighter future — for yourself and for others.
Bright Horizons provides equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Bright Horizons complies with the laws and regulations described in the following federal government resources: Know Your Rights , Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA ).
If you require assistance or a reasonable accommodation in completing these application materials or any aspect of the application and hiring process, please contact the recruitment helpdesk at 855-877-6866 or bhrecruit@brighthorizons.com . Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.